Famica isn't just a woman of dubious renown. Famica is the one lending an ear. She is the shoulder many people have cried on. She even helped some people during financial hardship.

Famica is a lot more than just a mature hooker: She is the heart and soul of Firelight-District.

In her life, Famica has made quite a few friends. That is why, word has spread quickly, that Famica has vanished a few days ago. Lucky for her, Meekin, a courageous if somewhat scatterbrained Kobold, has gathered some old friends of her to start a search for Famica.

Around a worn table in a bar named "The Stout Cucumber", Meekin has assembled the strongest of Famicas friends to forge a plan to bring the mature lady back.

Welcome, friends! You may have heard that Famica has vanished. I consider it our duty, to find and perhaps rescue her, if need be. So maybe you just introduce yourself to each other and we can start examining the few traces, Famica left..."

You all sit around the afore-mentioned table in "The Stout Cucumber", a shady bar in the district of Firelight. Please state in ooc-commentary, what sort your connection to Famica is. Are you a client? Are you just someone she helped in the past? Of which kind was this help? ... After that feel free to roleplay your introduction to the other persons around the table...

Hans has befriended Famica, because she acted friendly towards him, without the usual prejudices. One day, she saved his skin by hiding him from a band of mercenaries his parents have hired to bring him back to Sarlona.

My Lady, dear gentleman! My name is Hans Urian. I am skilled in the arcane craft. This maybe a rescue- or a revenge-mission, depending on the nature of Famicas disappearance. My hopes are that it is the first, but reality seems to have a knack to ignore what I hope. Is someone of you experienced in these investigation-things?

Since coming to the city a year ago, Aramil hasn't done much but skulk about, returning to his thieving ways. Famica gave him a roof to sleep under for a period of time, until he managed to buy himself a small flat with his own earnings. They kept in touch from time to time.

The pale-skinned elf tugs the hood closer down over his head and glances around the table. Evening. I'm Aramil. I've uhm..been known to slip in and out of places without notice from time to time. I can't say I know much about investigation, but if you need someone to take a look into a locked building, I can help out. Famica was...dear to me. I'm hoping this is nothing too nefarious. I wouldn't want to cut too many throats.

Istyarian has made the lady's acquaintance on a few occasions when in eed for a companion for discourse. While she found it an odd use in time and money, she certainly wasn't going to turn the eccentric down.

The willowy Eladrin leaned upon his walking stick, holding some ancient tome close to heart. He listened quietly as the others spoke and, when the topic of investigation is raised, he perks up. Research? What veriety of research might we be needing? I am sure that I can assist in some way.

Marvelous! My father used to say that a man, who wants to achieve something in life, needs three things: A loving wife, a sharp intellect and people who can get things done that can't be traced to anybody.

Probably heard about someone needing help, and volunteered. Andros isn't much of a city folk, spending as little time as possible in Sharn, preferring to wander around the outlying communities.

A scrawny looking human in furs and hides, Andros speaks quietly, "Can't say that I'm much of an investigator myself, but I am handy to have around when the investigation goes sour and/or the investigation reaches an end that requires more concrete action."

The kobold-host does something that could be smiling in kobold-manner.

How wonderful to have so many helping hands around! If I haven't forgotten anybody, we are complete by now! Maybe it is the best, when I tell you what we know so far. Famica had a nasty quarrel with a pimp named "The Stick" recently. He wanted her to work for him, but she declined. I guess you could start by asking some of the Firelight-prostitutes, as most of them work for "The Stick". But be careful. Rumor has it, that this particular pimp is a rather violent one...

...and one might wonder, why one of the chairs at the table is still empty... :-)

Yes, yes, yes! I know this girl! Nice one! Nice one! Works in the Honeypot. Be careful with her, okay? Threaten her if you must but don't harm her.

Meekin stops for a moment and seems to think. Wait! Ah... I'm soooo forgetful! We are not complete yet! Let's wait over dinner and hope that this gnome-girl shows up.

Meekin yells over to a waiter: Bring us a big pot of your daily meal and enough plates for my friends here!

As he has made his order, he turns around again: Let's not be naive about his one: As far as I know the Stick, you won't be able to rescue Famica without violence. So maybe you talk now about what your abilities and specialties are to improve your teamwork later on, yes? I hope everyone has a sufficient amount of combat equipment, yes?

Working in her house's counter-espionage branch as those keeping an eye on honesty of their own people, Lani paid Famica for information on the actions of all Gnomes in the Fire-Light district that did not work or live there.

A small purple haired, armor clad woman walks into the Cucumber, eyes the room and moves over to the table where the others were sitting. "G'day y'all. I guess you are the ones looking for Famica? If so I'm in." She eyed all of them, barely concealing her contempt for the reptilian at the head of the table.

"My speciality lies in limiting my foe's ability to maneuver. Mostly this is done through manipulation of the battlefield, but I can take a more direct approach on occasion should the circumstances require it."

Keep them away from me and I will use the fiery magic in my blood to let enemies fall like flies. But repetition: Keep them away from me - I am a Scholar, not a warrior. Ah... and don't take personal what I do on the battlefield... Remember: Not the dagger is evil, but the hand that uses it decides to what end it is used.

...and Hans takes care that his holy symbol of the Church of the Silver Flame is clearly visible at the right moment...

Does anybody of you have any further questions I can answer? Else I would go and try to catch some sleep...

Meekin obviously hasn't slept much in the last days. Maybe Famicas disappearance is just too much for him.

Perception DC 15:

A hooded stranger of the size of a halfling has obviously eavesdropped on Meekin and you from a nearby table. It seems that he has heard enough. He stands up, pays his bill and tries to walk out the door without drawing too much attention. What do you do?

Andros shrugs, "Guess we get to have our conversation outside." Dragging the goblin with him, he steps outside to a back alley close by. "Now then, I suggest you start filling us in on why you found our conversation so interesting before we have to get the information out of you the hard way."

A skill challenge represents a special kind of non-combat encounter. It presents you with an obstacle that could be nearly anything like navigating through a dense jungle, trying to organize a sieged city's defenses or, in this case, make a captured goblin speak.
Everyone can contribute in some way. Just name a skill and describe how you want to put it to use in the described scenario. For example, someone could try diplomacy to offer the goblin his freedom if he spills the beans. Even skills that aren't directly connected to the scenario could be used, but it takes a little creativity: If one wants to use e.g. Athletics in this context, he could just state, that he wants to show his great strength to the prisoner, thereby intimidating by sheer physical power. But be warned - those exotic uses are almost always quite difficult. On level 1, such a use would be against a DC of 20, for example.
You can even just name a skill and the DM tells you, what you could do with it. Or you can state what you want to do and the DM tells you, which skill to use.
In each skill challenge, you have to gather a specific number of successes before you accumulate to many failures. In this skill challenge, you have to collect 4 successes before 2 failures.
If you succeed at a skill challenge, the following adventure part will become considerably easier. If you fail, you might get a disadvantage, but it will almost never be a showstopper. To give an example, Hans will try a quite obvious skill in the next post.

The thin elf will follow the others out silently. Once outside, he'll stride up to the goblin, tilting his head.

Watching us? Oh, you're surely not getting paid enough. We're not the sort you want to mess with, although I'm sure you feel the same about your employer. We're much, much nastier..and willing to cut a deal. I'll pay you one and a half times what you're being paid if you give up some information, just a little bit. Like..how much you overheard. That's not too much, is it now?

Never one for shying away from the direct route, and not having much chance of bluffing his way through this, Andros just smiles. "Sounds like a challenge to me. Perhaps the next words out of your mouth will prove to be wiser." He grins as his body starts to change form, and in a few short seconds, the goblin finds his back on the ground, and looking up the muzzle of a rather nasty, angry wolf into eyes that make it clear that there really are only two options.

Hans whispers to Istyarian just loud enough for the goblin understand:

Oh Istyarian, I'm so glad you found a reasonable approach to this little spy here. I was afraid, we had to take the messy route again. And last time it was so much trouble letting the corpse disappear...

Suddenly an armor-clad Gnome appears between the others. It is strange that someone so heavily armored can move so silently. "Now now friends, no need to get all hostile. Give the poor chap a chance to speak up. So friend, what where you after here? Your secret is safe with me." Her hand moves over the pommel of her rapier, drawing attention to it. The pommel is shaped in the form of a cockatrice's head, a symbol of House Sivis.

It seems that the goblin doesn't want to push his luck and risk that you might really get violent.

Yes, no need to get hostile! Yes! I was sent after Meekin, because the Stick heard that he planned something. But the tavern-room was quite a loud mess, so I didn't understand much.

Then, the goblin falls into a whisper:

The Stick also hired some mercernaries to ambush anyone Meekin might sent out. I have to tell them, that you are the ones, else they kill me. But I can delay it somewhat to give you an advantage, okay? Maybe you will ambush them? So you let go of me now, yes?

The goblin looks at you with big, begging eyes. He actually looks surprisingly cute.

"That depends. What can you tell us about those mercenaries? Where were they to ambush us? Which company do they belong to? Where is the stick?" Lani looks the goblin straight in the eye. There was no telling what he'd do if they let him go. Their best course of action probably was getting him to spill the beans and then knock him out cold.

I don't know where he is. But I'm sure the mercenaries know how to contact him. The ambush-site would have been chosen depending on my spying-information. They are sellblades from Darguun, those. By the way, if I don't return, they start seeking me and try to get you without my aid.

"It would seem that our wisest move would be to ensure that an ambush occurs in a location more to our tactical andvantage than that of these brutes. Perhaps the young demagogue would help us in this endeavour?"

"We've not yet established a means of turning this to our advantage. Fore-warned is fore-armed, true, but we have so little information. Passing some misinformation back to this creature's employer is tactically viable and advisable."

Lani roughly pokes the Eladrin when he call their goblin captive a "creature". That was a sure way to make him tell his employer anyway. "Ok, let's make a deal. We'll let you go and you go in hiding for a bit, we'll take care of those thugs. Hide long enough and we might even take care of the Stick. Maybe you can seek us out later if you have more info, I might be able to get you a decent job with my House." They always needed cleaners for hallways and conference rooms.